This weekends newspapers would make one weep as story after story is all about the cuts to the Public Sector, as the CON-DEM Westminster Government continue their Butcher Knife assault for purely political philosophical reasons.
The only one of two countries in the g20 not to try and grow their way out of recession, the future is bleak. Aided and abetted by elements of the media who support this crusade, and despite evidence to the contrary, would have us all believe that cutting public sector spending will reduce the deficit. The Tory vultures attack on the NHS, Education and the rest ensures that their friends the spivs and speculators who brought about this current economic crisis will be last to pay their fair share.
It makes ones blood boil to read of those who benefited from free higher education to demand that this current generation of school leavers should pay tuition fees and/or a graduate tax. Another story today, highlights the demand for the privatisation of Scottish Water – a fairly efficient public sector body – as the cult of right wing ideology grips the country.
It doesn’t have to be this way. As a self confessed socialist in a civic nationalist social democratic party, and the most social democratic government Scotland
What is socialism or even social democracy in the current context? For me it is about ensuring a safety net for those less fortunate in society. That means continue the move to free prescriptions so the sick are not taxed, protecting public spending so that our services to the public are maintained, that our NHS and Education services, including Higher Education are free at the point of use, and creating apprenticeships to help young people into work, and to address our skill shortages. A taxation policy that is progressive and fair. Privatisation means that services are delivered less well and less often, and this can be evidenced; unlike the private sector is best mantra that underpinned the entire New Labour project. Note that the male apprentices to the architects of the Project are trying to secure the Labour leadership by deploying the “nothing to do with me guv” line.
It is obscene that the poorest in our society are paying the price of the bankers bail out. Even the Big Lottery funds are being raided to steal money from community based projects and subsidise opera and ballet instead in an outrageous move to redirect funding to the big and vocal national arts and sports organisations whose interests serve elites rather than grassroots. Private schools will be able to access funding as charitable organisations but your local state school will be specifically barred as it’s in the public sector. Class war ? Look who’s starting it.
If New Labour at Holyrood is the answer it must be a daft question. They are as stated in the latest issue of the Scottish Left Review a talentless, negative bunch, and at some point they will be asked to provide answers, as to what they would do instead of whining from the sidelines.
With Scotland in surplus, the case for Scotland having control of its own finances is unanswerable; the case for Independence grows stronger with each passing day of this malevolent Westminster
